Three Words for 2013: Move, Measure, Meditate

My friends Chris Brogan and C.C. Chapman are vocal proponents of the practice of choosing three words as your focal point and reminder of goals for the coming year. The challenge is to narrow your annual objectives to three words that serve as guideposts to remind you and keep you centered on the things you have decided really matter.  I've tried to master the art of three words a few times in the past, but not every year.  In fact this year I've chosen to focus more on being in control.  That said, there are three words that I do think I should put at the top of my list this year.  As a faithful, fervent fan of frequent alliteration my three works all start with the letter M:

Move.
Measure.
Meditate.

Move.  In many ways, movement is the secret to all success.  We must increase our movement to be healthy.  We must always keep our mind moving to stay sharp.  We must always keep our careers and relationships moving forward.  For a shark, ceasing to keep moving is a literal death sentence.  For a human, lack of movement leads to stagnation, to depression, to frustration.  In 2013 I want to keep moving.  From literally running for exercise, to advancing personal and business goals, constant and positive movement will be key.

Measure.  We live in the age of big data, and as someone who never really was a numbers guy, I've come to gain an appreciation for the value of measurement.  It started with an obsession with fitness trackers.  I wear both a Fitbit and Nike Fuel Band every day, and I pay attention to the data they provide, relishing in the satisfaction of measurable results, and enjoying the discovery of patterns and new personal records.  Now I want to apply that same appreciation of measurement to track and monitor my progress and results in areas beyond fitness, and especially in business.

Meditate.  Over the summer I was inspired to revisit practicing meditation, something I began in High School but let go of sometime after graduating from college.  Over the past few months I've been sporadically trying to reestablish TM as part of my daily routine, but it hasn't quite stuck yet.  It's a shame, because when I do manage a nice stretch of a few weeks of consistent daily meditation I can tangibly feel the results in my improved energy and awareness, and just plain feeling better.  So, as part of my mission to take better control of my time, I want to make the time for meditation each and every day.

There you have it.  My three words for 2013.  I won't go so far as to tattoo them to my forehead, but I will write them on post it notes, and in my notebooks and hope to refer to them regularly as gentle guides toward a productive and fruitful New Year.

How about you?  Have you selected three words?

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How To Be In Control in 2013

Life Is Full of Uncertainties.

Every day we are faced with the challenge of reacting to things that are outside of our control.  The actions and behavior of others, the weather, illness, loss, the economy, wars, accidents...  So many things that affect us deeply can seem so random and out of our hands.  We can ask why... We can live in fear... We can numb ourselves from seeing or feeling...  We can give up, since we have no control over it anyway... Or, we can take control.

We Do Have Control.

Granted, not over everything.  There are things, lots of things, that just occur, whether we like it or not, whether we are naughty or nice, whether we deserve better, or get what we deserve.  The reality of life, from a macro perspective, is as simple as two words: "Shit Happens."  So, we can wait for it to hit the fan, or we can go ahead and take control of the things that are absolutely, positively ours to determine.  And by being in control of just a few things, we can gain the confidence and strength to face up to the things we cannot control, and put them in a more healthy perspective.

5 Things We Have Complete Control Over:

As we head into a new year and everyone is thinking about their resolutions and goals and three words or simply reflecting on the year that was and the year that may be, I am thinking about how I can do a better job of taking control of the things I actually can control.  In particular, I want to do a better job of controlling these 5 things (and you can too):

1. My Body:  I have complete control over what I choose to put in my body.  It is up to me what foods I choose to eat, what liquids I choose to drink, what medicines or vitamins or drugs I do or do not choose to ingest.  How much I consume is also within my control.  Of course it is not as easy as it sounds to make all the right choices. It takes discipline and determination, but those are two things that each of us have the power to exercise if we choose to.  I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, a vegan for nearly 5, but still I can take better control over what I put inside my mouth.  Most likely we all can.  As important as food is, you can't take control over your body without exercise too.  Making regular exercise as essential to your being as eating and breathing is the best way to take control.  Exercise is not a chore, or a task.  It is a way of living.  I am pretty good about my food and exercise choices, but I know I can do better.

2. My Mind:  I have control over what I choose to expose my mind to.  What I read, the movies I watch, the music and podcasts I listen to, the television programs, social media streams, pictures, art and other media I am exposed to is for the most part my choice.  I can choose not to watch the latest episode of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians."  I am in control of whether I allow myself to become addicted to "Homeland."  I can determine what I want to expose my mind to and control how I choose to teach and entertain myself.  Reading more, and watching less is something I can control better (and hope to).

3. My Attitude:  Attitude may not be everything, but it is darn close.  I am in control of my attitude.  I can wake up each morning and put a frown or a smile on my face.  I can carry that comportment with me all day long, and see the world around me through tainted or clear eyes.  That choice is mine to make, every day, throughout the day.  My attitude is mine to control, and I will reap the rewards or suffer the aggravation according to my choice.  The first step toward happiness is to simply be happy.  The right attitude can get us there.

4: My Time:  Time is a fascinating and powerful thing.  It can pass swiftly or slowly.  It can heal all wounds.  It can soften the hardest rock, and deepen or close chasms.  While we have limited (and unknown) time in each of our lives, from moment to moment we are in control of time.  What we do with our time each day is our choice.  What we do next is our choice.   What we do now is our choice. We can make time for the things that we deem to be important.  We all have the power to control our time enough to make room for thinking, for meditation, for quiet.  We all have the power to make time to listen better, especially to the people we care about.  I know I can do a better job of taking control of my time so that the there is always enough of it for the things I have made a priority.

5: My Heart:  Contrary to the words of countless songwriters and poets, we can control our hearts.  We can choose to be more loving and caring, and to be more open to the love around us.  To tell our children or parents that we love them is completely under our control.  To treat others with compassion and understanding is as easy as choosing to do so.  We each control that choice.  When you realize that you can indeed control your heart, you will also realize that our hearts can grow without limit.  If we choose to be more loving, we have an endless capacity to do so.  That's the path I want to try and take.  To control my heart, and grow it.

These are the things I believe I can control, and my goal for the new year is to step-up my game and take more control of each of them.

How about you?

Happy New Year!


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My Three Words: Ask, Focus, Prioritize

My friend and fellow Dad-O-Matic cohort, Chris Brogan, has been espousing the merits of "three words" for at least three years (if not more), and I have always avoided jumping on the bandwagon...until now.

The idea behind "three words" is perhaps simpler than the traditional "New Year's Resolution" routine, and thus, perhaps, we'll be more likely to retain our commitment to "three words" well into the remainder of the year and long after we have resolutely given up on our resolutions. Your three words are intended to be guideposts...  to serve as directional inspirations you can refer to at all times to ensure that the intent and spirit of your current goals and objectives are leading you down your chosen path. You set your goals. You are in the driver's seat to execute them. Your three words are there to remind you why you may have set such a course for yourself and how you intend to make it so. With that in mind, my first goal of 2011 is to give "three words" a shot. Therefore, herewith, I present...

My Three Words for 2011:

ASK. This little three letter word is very powerful. Used properly, ask can help you gain - gain knowledge, gain responsibility, even gain more business and money. Whether you are asking for the sale, or asking because you don't know, an important lesson to learn is that "if you don't ask, you don't get!" A short time into my first job out of college I had the chance to go on a business trip assisting the Founder/CEO of the company, who was also my boss. We were at dinner in a foreign land and I was thrilled to be on my first business trip. Perhaps feeling a bit full of myself (or perhaps feeling the effects of one of my first experiences with a "good" bottle of wine) I blurted out to my boss, "I think I should get a raise!" He looked at me, surprised. Then smiled, and said ok, and told me what my new salary would be. He also said it was really too soon for me to get a bump in pay, but since I asked... After all, he continued, "If you don't ask, you don't get, and that's a good lesson for you to learn." He was right, but over the years I have often forgotten the importance of asking. Therefore, one of my words for 2011 is to ASK!

FOCUS. When I was graduating High School, my English Teacher, Mr. Pospisil, who was greatly admired and respected, wrote some very nice things to me in my year book, but in the middle of all his encouraging compliments, he also said, "Don't spread yourself too thin..." At the time, I thought it was odd, but over the years I've come to recognize how prescient his words were. I like to think that I am good at many things, but as a result, I do often do too many things at once, and as Mr. P perhaps predicted, many times I have indeed found myself in the predicament of having been spread too thin. It is something I am aware of and know I need to work on, so my second word for 2011 is intended to help me heed the words of my High School teacher and FOCUS. Focus on what's important. Focus on what I am doing at the moment. Focus on what will actually "move the needle. Just FOCUS.

PRIORITIZE. My last of the three words is partially related to number two, FOCUS, but I think it is strong enough to stand on its own as word of guidance for 2011. We live in a busy world, constantly connected, constantly fed data, information, images, news, entertainment, advertisements, buzzes, beeps, tweets.  We juggle jobs, family, friends, hobbies, finances, fitness... a LOT of stuff. To plow through it all sanely and successfully it is essential to effectively PRIORITIZE. To make order out of life's potential chaos, we need to put things in their proper order. I want to work much harder and better at prioritizing in all aspects of my life, and thus I have prioritized my three words for 2011 to be sure to include PRIORITIZE.

So, there you have it, my three words... What do you think?  Do you have three words that will guide you in 2011? I had to ASK! :-)

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